Power-transmitter for windmills.



No. 642,936. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

. F. c. THOMPSON.

POWER TRANSMITTER FOR WINDMILLS.

(Application filed Apr. 8, 1899.\

(No Model.) 2 Sheets8heet I.

- I FlGi.

W/ TNE SSE 8 TH: mmzvs PETERS c0, PHOTO-LIYHU.. WASHINGTON, Luv (2.

(No Model.)

WITNESSES fe r/WW J Patented Feb. 6, I900. F. C. THOMPSON.

POWER TRANSMITTER FOR WINDMILLS.

(Application filed Apr. 8, 1899.)

2 SheetsSheet 2,

2 2; giVENTgH I A FUR/V578.

lNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRED O. THOMPSON, OF BURTON, WASHINGTON.

POWER-TRANSMITTER FOR WINDMILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,936, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed April 8, 1899. Serial No. 712,272. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED O. THOMPSON, of Burton, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented a new and Improved Power-Transmitter forWindmills, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved powertransmitter for windmills arranged to insure a proper trans mission of the power of a wind-wheel to the main shaft both in light and strong Winds.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a face view of the transmitting-gearing with parts in section, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of part of the improvement with parts in section.

A wind-wheel A of any approved construc tion is mounted with its hub A to rotate loosely on the main sh aft 13, j ournaled in suitable bearings in a head 0, mounted to turn on the upper end of a post or tower D. On the face of the web A extending from the hub A to the rim A for attaching the wings of the wind -wheel, is arranged a centrifugal governor consisting of levers E,-preferably two in number and each fulcrumed at E on said web A Each lever E is connected by a link E with a resistance-arm E mounted to rotate loosely on the hub A and pressed on by a spring E coiled on the hub A and secured with one end to the said resistancearm E and with its other end to a collar E attached to the said hub A. The resistancearm E is pivotally connected with a rod E fitted to slide loosely in a guideway F, fulcrumed on an arm F, secured on a shaft F journaled in the web A On the rod E are secured spaced pins E and E adapted to pass through slots in the guideway-bearings for the rod to engage and press against collars E and E respectively held loosely on the rod E between the guideway-bearings and pressed on.

by the ends of a spring E ,coiled loosely on the rod E. This arrangement forms a counterbalance for the governor, as the spring E offers a desired resistance to the rod E the resistance-arm E and the governor-levers whether the latter swing outward or inward. The resistance-arm E is normally held in the position shown in the drawings by the action of the spring E which is compressed by the arm when the latter is turned in one direction by the outward-swinging levers E, caused'by centrifugal force. When the wheel A attains a very high velocity, so that it runs above a normal speed, then the lovers E fly outward and turn the resistance-arm E to such'an ex: tent that the guideway is shifted and a turning motion is given to the shaft F by the arm F.

On the shaft F is secured a pawl F nor mally in mesh with a ratchet-wheel H, (see Fig. 2,) and on the said shaft is secured a second arm F connected by a link F with .an arm F on a shaft F likewise journaled in the Web A diametrically opposite the shaft F On the shaft F is secured a pawl F likewise normally in mesh with the ratchet- Wheel H. When the shaft F is turned as above described, the pawls F and F are simultaneously swung out of mesh with the ratchet-wheel H and in mesh with the smaller ratchet-wheel G. (See Fig. 3.)

The ratchet-wheel Ghas its hub G mounted to rotate loosely on the hub A, and the ratchet wheel H has its hub H mounted to rotate loosely on the hub G, and on said hubs G H are secured gear-wheels G2 H respectively, in mesh with gear-wheels I J, respectively, of which there are preferably two sets, the two gear-wheels in each set being fastened together and mounted to turn on a stud K, projecting from an arm K, attached to the main shaft B. The gear-wheels I are in mesh with an annular rack L, secured to or forming part of the head 0, so that said gearwheels I roll off on the annular rack.

When the wind-wheel A rotates at a low or normal rate of speed, then the resistancearm E holds the governor-levers E in the normal position above referred to and shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the pawls F and 15 remain in mesh with the ratchet-wheel H,

and consequently the rotary motion of the wheel A is transmitted by the pawls F F, ratchet-wheel H, and gear-wheel H to the gear-wheels J to rotate the same and to cause the gear-wheels I to roll off on the fixed annular rack L, so that the arm K is turned, and consequently the shaft B is revolved. When the speed of the wind-wheel A increases, then the governor-levers E finally fly outward, as before explained, and swing the pawls F F out of mesh with the ratchetwheel H and into mesh with the smaller ratchet-wheel G, so that the rotary motion of the wheel A is now transmitted by the pawls F E the ratchet-wheel G, and the gear-wheel G to the gear-wheels I, and as the latter roll off on the fixed internal gear-wheel L it is evident that the arm K is swung around and the main shaft B is rotated.

From the foregoing it is understood that the annular rack L, the gear-Wheels I J G 11 the arm K, the ratchet-wheels G H, and the pawls F F form a differential gear which connects the main or power shaft B with the wind-wheel A, and this differential gear is connected with and controlled by the centrifugal governor carried by the wind-wheel A.

The differential gearing above described and as shown in the drawings is so proportioned that when the wheel A rotates at a minimum speed thensix revolutions of the wheel A are required for one revolution of the shaft B, and when the wheel A rotates at a high rate of speed then four revolutions of the wind-wheel will produce one revolution of the shaft B.

It is evident from the foregoing that a proper transmission of the power of the windwheel takes place both in light and strong winds.

In order to protect the governor mechanism and the transmitting-gearing described, a rim A is preferably extended over part of the external surface of the stationary annular rack L, and a hood A of sheet-iron or like material, is secured to the rim A and extended to the outer end of the hub, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 1. The Web A of the wind-wheel A is provided with an offset, into which extend the ratchet-wheels H and G and the pawls F F of the differential gear, and the rear portion of the hub A is reduced in thickness by an amount equal to the thickness of the hub G of the ratchetwheel G.

The main shaft B is provided at the head 0 with two crank-arms H13 standing in opposite directions to each other and connected by pitmen N N, respectively, with arms N N fulcrurned on a shaft N carried .by a bracket 0, attached to the head 0. The arms N N are connected with pump-rods N N, respectively, extending through the main hollow portion of the head C and through the.

tower D to connect with pumping machincry in the usual manner.

The frame 0 for the vane is pivoted on the head 0 and is normally held to the wind by a spring 0, said frame being pivotally connected by a link 0 with an arm P, secured on a shaft P, mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the bracket 0. On the shaft P is attached a segment Q, to which is fastened a chain R, extending through the hollow portion of the head 0 and the tower D to the ground to be within reach of the operator to allow of pulling said chain and turning the segment Q and shaft P to bring the frame 0, with the vane, out of thewind by the action of the arm P and link 0 on said frame 0.

Then it is desired to bring the vane into the wind, the operator releases the chain R to permit the spring 0 to return the vaneframe and its vane to their normal positions, the pivotal end of the frame abutting against a fiat spring 0 attached to the head 0.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the power given to the shaft Bis transmitted by the oppositely-arranged crank-arms 13 B to the pump-rods to move the latter alternately in opposite directions, so as to insure a continuous pumping. It will further be seen that by the arrangement described the operator is enabled to conveniently throw the windwheel out of the wind whenever it is desired to do so.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. ApoWcr-transmitter for windmills, comprising arevoluble wind-wheel, a main shaft, a centrifugal governor carried by said windwheel, and a differential gear connecting said main shaft with said wind-wheel, and connected with and controlled by the said gov ernor, substantially as shown and described.

2. A power-transmitter for windmills, comprising a revoluble wind-wheel, a shaft on which the wheel is mounted to turn loosely, independent ratchet-wheels mounted to rotate loosely, a centrifugal governor on said windwheel, pawls controlled by said governor and adapted to engage either of said ratchetwheels, and planetary gearing driven from said ratchet-wheels and connected with said shaft, substantially as shown and described.

3. A power-transmitter for windmills, comprising a wind-Wheel, a main shaft on which the said wind-wheel is mounted to rotate loosely, a governor actuated from the said wind-wheel, and a differential gear connecting the said main shaft with the said windwheel and connected with and controlled by the said governor, substantially as shown and described.

4. A power-transmitter for windmills, provided with a revoluble wind-wheel, a governor actuated from the said wind-wheel, pawls controlled by the said governor and carried by said wind-wheel, independent ratchetwheels adapted to be engaged by said pawls to transmit the rotary motion of said windwheel to either of the said ratchet-wheels according to the speed of the wind-wheel, a main to transmit the rotary motion of the said wheel to either of the said ratchet-Wheels according to the speed of thewind-wheel, and intermediate mechanism between the said ratchetwheels and the said main shaft to rotate the latter from the ratchet-Wheel rotated at the time, substantially as shown and described.

(3. A power-transmitter for windmills, comprising a revoluble wind-Wheel, a main shaft, a centrifugal governor carried by said windwheel, a differential gear connecting said main shaft with said Wind-wheel, and connected with and controlled by said governor, the said differential gear comprising independent ratchet-wheels, gear-Wheels secured to the ratchet wheels, a pair of gear-Wheels in mesh with the ratchet-wheel gear-wheels, an arm secured to the said main shaft, an annular rack with which one of the said pair of gearwheels is in mesh, and pawls carried by the said wind-wheel and connected with the said governor and adapted to engage either of the said ratchet-wheels, substantially as shown and described.

FRED 0. THOMPSON. Witnesses:

THOS. WRIGHT, RUBIE WRIGHT. 

